The United States has no any plans on cooperation with Georgia in the sphere of anti-missile defense (AMD), Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried stated on 26 September.
"I have never heard about it," he said in talks with ITAR-TASS with respect to reports though US experts, who studied that Gabala Radar station in Azerbaijan before, arrived in Georgia with respect to study technical opportunities for establishing AMD system in Batumi. I am not aware of any plans of cooperation between the United State and Georgia in the AMD. I hear it for the first time, he stressed.
Touching upon the Russian proposal on joint use of the Gabala Radar Station on condition of the US refusal from plans of placing their own Radar Station in the territory of the Czech Republic and a base of missile interceptors in Poland, Fried said that it might provide a basis for far-sighted strategic cooperation between Russia and the United States.
Fried confessed the presence of disagreement between Washington and Moscow in connection with US plans on installing AMD elements in East Europe. "We understand that Russia has some concerns and are eager to remove them," he said. Russia's proposal provides for real multilateral approach towards the AMD with the participation of Russia, United State and NATO". In this respect he called to approach the resolution of the problem in the positive context.
Fried said that a series of discussions on the issue with Russian partners, including Sergey Kisliak, the Deputy Foreign Minister, have been held and the US Administration intends to continue on 11 and 12 October, whereas Condoleezza Rise, the US Secretary of State and Robert Gates, the Defense Minister, will leave for Moscow. The Assistant Secretary of State said that they intend to continue talks and search ways to move the process ahead.